Rammstein facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rammstein
Rammstein in 2005 playing the ballad "Ohne dich" along with Apocalyptica.
Background information
Origin	Berlin, Germany
Genres	Neue Deutsche Härte industrial metal alternative metal progressive metal heavy metal
Years active	1994 – present
Labels	Motor Music, Republic, Slash, Universal Music Group, Vagrant Records
Associated acts	Emigrate, Feeling B, First Arsch, Lindemann
Members	Till Lindemann Richard Z. Kruspe Paul H. Landers Oliver "Ollie" Riedel Christoph "Doom" Schneider Christian "Flake" Lorenz

Rammstein is a German heavy metal band that started in Berlin in 1994.

After winning a local contest, Rammstein was able to record demos and send them to different record labels, eventually signing with Motor Music. Working with producer Jacob Hellner, they released their debut album Herzeleid in 1995. Though the album initially sold poorly, the band gained popularity through their live performances and the album eventually reached No. 6 in Germany. Their second album, Sehnsucht, was released in 1997 and debuted at No. 1 in Germany, resulting in a worldwide tour lasting nearly four years and spawning the successful singles "Engel" and "Du hast" and the live album Live aus Berlin (1999). Following the tour, Rammstein signed with major label Universal Music and released Mutter in 2001. Six singles were released from the album, all charting in countries throughout Europe. The lead single, "Sonne", reached No. 2 in Germany. Rammstein released Reise, Reise in 2004 and had two more singles reach No. 2 in Germany: "Mein Teil" and "Amerika"; the former song reached No. 1 in Spain, becoming their first No. 1 single.

Their fifth album, Rosenrot, was released in 2005, and the lead single, "Benzin", reached No. 6 in Germany. Their second live album, Völkerball, was released in 2006. The band released their sixth album, Liebe ist für alle da, in 2009. The band then entered a recording hiatus and toured for several years, releasing the Made in Germany greatest hits album as well as the Rammstein in Amerika and Paris live albums. After a decade without new music, Rammstein returned in 2019 with the song "Deutschland", which became their second No. 1 hit in Germany. Their untitled seventh studio album was released in May 2019 and reached No. 1 in 14 countries. While sheltering during COVID-19 lockdowns, the band spontaneously wrote and recorded their eighth studio album, Zeit, which was released in April 2022.

Rammstein was one of the first bands to emerge within the Neue Deutsche Härte genre, with their debut album leading the music press to coin the term, and their style of music has generally had a positive reception from music critics. Commercially, the band has been very successful, earning many No. 1 albums as well as gold and platinum certifications in countries around the world. Their grand live performances, which often feature pyrotechnics, have contributed to the growth in their popularity.

Musical style and lyrics

The Denver Post wrote that "[Rammstein] proved that they not only synthesized the Neue Deutsche Härte genre, but that they successfully made it an art." Pioneers of the genre, Rammstein's style blended "alt-metal, groove and electronica".

Rammstein was traditionally inspired by bands such as the Slovenian group Laibach, known for its provocative songs, often citing political symbols of the far-right and whose music style also combines different genres, or the German rock band Oomph! However, the band members do not see a real connection to Laibach – apart from the similarity in vocal style which Flake Lorenz admitted in a Viva interview from 1997.

Unlike many bands from Berlin in the early 1990s, Rammstein did not want to imitate American or English bands. Flake Lorenz said in an interview: "We found the style by knowing exactly what we didn't want. And we just didn't want to do American funky music or punk or anything we can't do. We realized that we can only do this music that we also play. And it's just very simple, dull, monotone."

Rammstein's style has received positive feedback from critics.

Nearly all of Rammstein's songs are in German. Educated in East German schools, the members were all taught Russian as a second language rather than English. In 2019, Flake commented: "I saw a lot of East German bands that sung in very bad English to people who didn't understand English – it was absolutely stupid. But if you really want to tell your emotions, you have to speak in your mother tongue." In an interview with Ultimate Guitar, when asked whether Rammstein would ever create an original song entirely in English, Till Lindemann stated that 'Rammstein will never write a song in English, it's like asking Buddha to kill a pig'.

The band's lyrics, as sung by Till Lindemann, are an essential element of their music, and shape the perception by fans and a wider public. Many of their songs are related to controversial and taboo subjects. The band have also occasionally delved into politics with their lyrics. "Amerika" is a critique of the cultural and political imperialism of the United States all over the world. The lyrics of the song "Deutschland" contain the lines "Deutschland! / Meine Liebe / kann ich dir nicht geben" (Germany! / My love / [is what] I cannot give you), which conveys the band's inability to have unquestioned patriotic feelings.

Band members

Since forming in 1994, Rammstein have retained a constant line-up. Richard Kruspe had said in a Revolver Magazine interview that it is because of the band respecting each other's wishes to take a break, either for personal reasons or to focus on a side project. Members of the band have had side projects that they take part in during Rammstein's inactivity. Kruspe currently fronts the group Emigrate while Till Lindemann began his project Lindemann in 2015.

• Till Lindemann – lead vocals, harmonica
• Richard Kruspe – lead guitar, backing vocals
• Paul Landers – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
• Oliver Riedel – bass guitar
• Christoph Schneider – drums, percussion
• Christian "Flake" Lorenz – keyboards, samples, synthesizers, trumpet, programming

Discography

Studio albums

• Herzeleid (1995)
• Sehnsucht (1997)
• Mutter (2001)
• Reise, Reise (2004)
• Rosenrot (2005)
• Liebe ist für alle da (2009)
• Untitled album (2019)
• Zeit (2022)

Tours

• Club Tour (1994–1995)
• Herzeleid Tour (1995–1997)
• Sehnsucht Tour (1997–2001)
• Family Values Tour 1998 (22 September 1998 – 31 October 1998)
• Mutter Tour (2001–2002)
• Pledge of Allegiance Tour (2001; in between the August–November dates of the Mutter Tour)
• Ahoi Tour (Reise, Reise Tour) (2004–2005)
• Liebe ist für alle da Tour (2009–2011)
• Made in Germany 1995–2011 Tour (2011–2013)
• Rammstein Tour 2016 (2016)
• Rammstein Festival Tour 2017 (2017)
• Rammstein Stadium Tour (2019–2023)

Awards and honors

Grammy Awards

Discography

Studio albums

• Herzeleid (1995)
• Sehnsucht (1997)
• Mutter (2001)
• Reise, Reise (2004)
• Rosenrot (2005)
• Liebe Ist Für Alle Da (2009)
• Rammstein (2019)

Live albums

• Live aus Berlin (1999)
• Völkerball (2006)

Images for kids

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  Rammstein performing at the Gold Coast Big Day Out in 2011

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  Rammstein playing "Engel" in Madison Square Garden in New York City, December 2010

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  Rammstein performing in 2012

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  Rammstein performing in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on 29 July 2019

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  Rammstein are known for their frequent use of pyrotechnics during live performances.

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  Till Lindemann performing "Rammstein", during which he wears dual arm-mounted flamethrowers

See also

In Spanish: Rammstein para niños